Retinitis pigmentosa

Patients are encouraged to follow up with a specialist in retinal degeneration every 1-2 years. This provides the opportunity for the physician to update the patient on the state of research in the field, ensure that any refraction errors are corrected, and address any concerns. Serial visual fields are more useful for following the disease from year to year than electroretinograms.

Intraocular pressure of each eye should be measured at each visit prior to dilation as glaucoma is more common in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).[33]Hung MC, Chen YY. Patients with retinitis pigmentosa may have a higher risk of developing open-angle glaucoma. J Ophthalmol. 2022 Jun 22:2022:9719095. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2022/9719095 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35783342?tool=bestpractice.com ​ Complete exam of the cornea, conjunctiva, anterior segment, and lens should be performed at each visit. Patients with RP tend to develop cataracts earlier in life than otherwise expected, particularly posterior subcapsular cataract changes.

Although high doses of vitamin A supplementation are no longer recommended, patients who have chosen to take this supplement should be monitored by their primary care physician for possible adverse effects of liver damage and hyperlipidemia.